Why include gluten-free dishes in your culinary offering?

24 January 2019

There are an increasing number of restaurants that strive to delight their customers with delicious gluten-free dishes that are well-prepared and are good value for money. Having this type of offering is certainly a plus for celiacs, because until now it has been difficult to find a good gluten-free menu and a restaurant that would care about them.

The interesting thing is that there are many customers who, despite not having this condition, follow the health trend by choosing these types of establishments.Taking into account these habits, it is very clear to us why having a good gluten-free offering in restaurants is an increasingly strategic move:

Because it is an excellent way to improve the business’s brand image. A restaurant that has gluten-free dishes sends the message that it cares about customer’s needs and that it adapts itself to consumption habits. It is also a business that is regarded as having an understanding of this type of cuisine, that is set up to prepare it and that makes the effort to satisfy various types of customers.

Because it opens the door to winning over and retaining various types of customers. If a restaurant offers gluten-free dishes, it will attract celiac customers, but it also conditions the purchasing decision of their family, friends, co-workers, etc. In other words, it attracts groups of people who will become regular customers. This is in addition to people who love healthy foods, who will also prefer these restaurants if given the choice.

Because it allows us to anticipate a future consumption need. The “gluten-free” community is growing. It is a sector that will undoubtedly play an increasingly important role in the restaurant industry. Joining this trend is a great way to stand out from the fierce competition, in addition to being good business.

Here at TheFork, we are also taking part by listing “gluten-free” restaurants, so that customers can find these offerings more easily.

Truthfulness is the greatest form of advertising for a gluten-free restaurant

One thing that gluten-free and organic restaurants have in common is that their potential customers need to have confidence that the kitchen is prepared to offer gluten-free dishes and that all their products are truly free of chemicals.

There are 3 signs that indicate that a restaurant is truly offering gluten-free dishes and what builds trust in their customers and makes customers come back:

They announce if they are 100% gluten-free or if they only have some gluten-free dishes. Accordingly, there is a big difference between having a prepared kitchen, a chef and staff who are experts in the art of baking, cooking and serving without cross-contamination, and business that has some products (normally pre-made and purchased) that are free of these allergens. And this will probably be the first question that a celiac customer will ask before going, since it may not be suitable for them. As such, it is crucial to have complete transparency in this respect.

Offerings are both varied and delicious. It may seem obvious, but there are many celiac customers who complain that some restaurants claim to have gluten-free dishes but serve foods that are very barebones and bland. This is in contrast to businesses that do it right by having dishes that have been created and perfected until they reach a level of quality that truly delights the gluten-free diners.

If the variety also includes a gluten-free offering for children, then it is a great sign, since it shows that it is a business that families trust to feed their celiac children. If the same restaurant has various desserts that are gluten-free, then it is worth re-visiting.

Table service is efficient and cautious. Another sign is that wait staff care about properly serving their celiac customers by paying special attention to the person that has ordered these types of dishes in order to avoid making mistakes when serving them at the table and when placing cutlery and utensils, since it may cause them health problems.

Ultimately, it is a place where customers have a sense of security about what they eat, have an experience that is just as pleasant as those of non “gluten-free” customers and where the price is fair when they receive the bill.

What do you think? Do you think it is good business to have a gluten-free offering?

If this article inspired you, find out how TheFork can help you better manage your restaurant by clicking here.